See, I'm just not 'buying' that. There will always be things that people want, whether it's an iphone or the latest transporter installed in your living room.

Picard certainly wanted his first edition big book of Shakespearean Plays. After the Enterprise crash in GEN, he and Riker dug through the wreckage to find it, rather than simply replicating a new one later.

EmperorTiberius wrote:

it just wouldn't be dollars, because dollars are just paper.

Cloth actually.

Timewalker wrote:

I've long thought that when Picard snootily told the 20th century people that 24th century people don't use money

Picard made a few bombastic statements to the 20th century people, but he never came right out ans said that 24th century people don't use money.

Talon Lardner wrote:

one can chow down on replicated food all one wishes

Realistically the replicator has a operating cost, and a initial purchase/manufacturing cost. Whether virtual money, credits, GPL, or a direct value exchange (labor for goods). Might be cheaper than Sisko's restaurant, but not entirely free.